Har-Ber awaits challenge from North Little Rock

Starting with Springdale in 2005 and ending with Fayetteville in 2016, teams from Northwest Arkansas claimed 12 consecutive state championships in the state’s largest classification.

The strength has shifted clearly to the 7A-Central, which has produced the past three champions and the state finalists in 2018 and 2019. North Little Rock, which has played in four consecutive championship games, hasn’t lost to a team from the 7A-West in five years.

Springdale Har-Ber has a chance to enhance the reputation of the 7A-West with a victory at home tonight against North Little Rock. A win by Bentonville at Conway would help, too, especially after the Wampus Cats beat Fayetteville 38-21 last week.

Har-Ber finished 8-4 last season after being eliminated 42-21 by North Little Rock in the playoffs. The difference was a running game fueled by Brandon Thomas, who rushed for 219 yards and scored three touchdowns in 19 carries. Thomas signed with Memphis but the Charging Wildcats return plenty of playmakers, including quarterback Kareame Cotton, who scored two touchdowns in the win over Har-Ber, and Aaron Sims, who added 108 yards on the ground against the Wildcats.

Har-Ber doesn’t shy from competition and the Wildcats had plenty of cleanup to do this week after losing 31-15 at powerful Jenks, Okla. Turnovers were a major problem with five passes ending up in the hands of Jenks defenders.

Har-Ber has at least played a game while North Little Rock has not. Coaches often believe their teams make the biggest improvement from Game 1 to Game 2. Even if that’s true, North Little Rock still has too much firepower to lose at Springdale Har-Ber tonight.

RICK’S PICK North Little Rock

Other games involving teams from Northwest Arkansas (selections are capitalized).

CLASS 7A

Muskogee at BENTONVILLE WEST

BENTONVILLE at Conway

OWASSO, OKLA., at Fayetteville

GREENWOOD at Fort Smith Southside

Stilwell, Okla., at ROGERS

Springfield (Mo.) Central at ROGERS HERITAGE

North Little Rock at SPRINGDALE HAR-BER CLASS 6A

VAN BUREN at Alma

CLASS 5A

FARMINGTON at Prairie Grove

CLASS 4A

Charleston at DARDANELLE

LAMAR at Gentry POTTSVILLE at Green Forest

ELKINS at Greenland CLINTON at Huntsville Gravette at INOLA, OKLA.

Westville, Okla., at LINCOLN

Booneville at OZARK Poteau, Okla., at SHILOH CHRISTIAN

CLASS 3A

CEDARVILLE at Mountainburg

Johnson County Westside at PARIS

HACKETT at Pocola, Okla.

LAST WEEK 14-1 (93 percent)

RICK FIRES COMMENTARY